Secondary battery.



IInITnn sTATns rATnNT OFFICE.

WILLIAM GARDINER, 'OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, Assieuou, BY MEsNE 'ASSIGN MENTS, ',IO UNIVERSAL ELEGTRlC VSTORAGE BATTERY OOM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SECON DARY BATTERY.L

n Specicatonvof Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 73,1906.

i Application filed August 31, 1904. Serial No. 222,790.

To all. whom, t r11/wy concern:

of this specifica-tion..

rlhis invention relates to improvements in'` storage batteries'or accumulators.

The object ofthe invention is to dprovide an accumulator so constructed as to Ispense with the use of a negative-poleelement assuch and also to prevent active material contained in the positive-pole element from peel,- ing or disintegration therefrom.

It is also an obj ect of the invention to provide" improved -separators and elements so'v arrange and combined as to provide maximum efficiency without possibility of loss of current through short-circuiting.

The invention embraces many novel fea-- tures 5 and it consists in the matters hereinl after described, and more fully-pointed out ing-aperture therefor.

and defined in the appended claims.V n

inthe drawings, Fi ure 1 is a perspective view, broken away, 0F a cell embodying my invention. l Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryview in the bottom of the cell. Fig.

4 is av vertical section taken throughthe iii Fig. 5 is afragmen- A tar section'taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

s shown in said drawings, A indicates a cell or receptacle, of metal or other good conductor, and provided vwitha close-iittin covera, adapted to be permanently braze thereon after the elements are secured therein, the brazing thereof acting to tightly seal the cell. One or more pairs of vertical separators B, of hardrubber or other suitablemal terial, disposed in opposite sides of the cell, are each provided with a vertical groove in the inwardly-directed or -front face -of each, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Within the groove of each pair of separators .is provided the plate C, which, as shown, is constructed'in accordance with .my invention Grid or Element for Secondary Batteries, (for which aplates plication for United States Patent -wa`s filed on the 22d day of August, 1904, Serial No. 221,644,) and which consists of a sheet of ap- -proximately pure lead closely perforated and folded transversely-,to provide a plurality of closely-arranged folds` which are jammed close together, forming ,horizontal` pockets adapted to contain active material. Said are preferably electrochemically ormed before linsertion into the cell. The; folds of the plate are burned together, and the outer surface of the plate-is scraped to remove the active material after the forming, leaving the interior filled with the active material. -On each side ofA and inclosing the separators B is provided the wire-net D,

preferably of a good conducting material not vchemically acted upon by the acid constituents of the electrolyte and which, as shown, occupies the position of. the negative-pole element in the cellyand extends downwardly on both sides of the separators and beneath and between the same, the bottom of eachgsheet being bent `at a'v right angle with the plane thereof andresting upon the metallic bottom of the cell and affording positive contact therewith. Preferably the cell and wire-net are of copper, which is plated with silver. This causes the sameto be unaffected by the acid in the electrolyte'.

The electrolyte used is preferably a solution of sulfuric acid and Water containing sulfate of zinc, sulfate of lithium, and bisulfate of mercury. In charging, the metal constituents of the salts are deposited on the wire-net 4and constitute the negative-pole element,

said wire screen serving but as a support for the deposit. i

4The conductors C of the positive-pole elements, as shown in Fig.' 1, are connected at the top by a conducting-plate which is insulated from the cover a of the cell. A con-Y ductor c leads upwardly therefrom through an aperture in said cover, and a washer, of4 rubber, c2, sleeved to receive the conductor c and to insulate the samev from the cover, is provided thereon. An insulating-washer c3 is provided thereon above the cover. Said 'washers provide an insulating-packing at the point where `said conductor passes through the cover. 'A filling-aperture is provided in the top of the receptacle having a raised threaded flange af about the same in a familiar IOO manner adapted to receive the screw-cap a2, and a valve @aus provided in sald cap acting to permit the escape of gases Jrom the cap The operation is as 'follows; In charging -'the cell the metallic constituents of the electrolyte are deposited on the wire-net, thus forming a negative-pole element having great surface and but little weight. In the discharge the depositis taken off the wire-net zo and restored to the solution. It would seem that the mercury in charging is restored to its metallic state and ac-ts to prevent local action during the discharge. The use of lithium sulfate in the electrolyteaids greatly in retaining the charge. Inasmuch asthe cell is tightly closed, the cells may be turned in an position without interference with its discliarge vor spilling the contentsl Agitation or shaking of the cell during the 3o discharge is even advantageous.- The separatpr-strips afford a positive support for the positive-poleelements and serve to hold the Wire-net out o contact therewith and pressed upon the side walls and bottom of the 35 cell. .The-conductor affords vconnection for the conductor-wire E in the usual or any convenient manner.

Obviously many details of construction maybe modified without departing from the principles of my invention.

I claim as my invention'- 1. In an accumulator the combination with a' metallic cell, of a plurality of separatorstri s arranged on opposite sides thereof and eac grooved centrally on its inner face to a point near its lower end, plates engaged in opposite separators out of contact with the cell and sheets of reticulated material engaged between said separators out of engagement with said plates and in engagement with the bottom and sides ofthe cell.

' 2. An accumulator-cell comprising a metallic receptacle, a plurality of non-connected vertical strips of insulating material arranged on opposite sides of said receptacle and provided with grooves in the inner faces thereof,

plates engaged in said grooves, an independ-v ent Sheet of wire-gauze inserted between adjacent plates and between the vplates and the .walls 'ot' the receptacle and having metallic contact with said-receptacle and an electrolyte adapted to form a'm'etallic deposit on said gauze in charging.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. L

. WILLIAM GARDINER.

Witnesses:

W. W. WITHENBURY, RAY WITHENBURY. 

